This study addresses the question of how retired people's self-image differs from that of working people, and what factors predict people's self-definition as professionals or retirees. Seven hundred ninety-two Swiss persons aged 58-70 (386 men, 406 women; 349 not retired, 443 retired) were asked to rate the importance of different…

Reviews and defines continuity of care, or long term care, as a potential economic catastrophe which requires strategic planning. Proposes a Medicare revision that provides integrated funding for acute, sub-acute, and long-term care as elements of continuity of care. (Author/ABB)

A comparison of value preferences of various respondent groups involved in long term nursing home care revealed that although societal values varied by resident status, there were large areas of agreement. Family members of nursing home members, however, most often differed from other groups. (Author/ABB)

Compares subjective quality of life of elderly Poles living in Poland, and Polish immigrants and Polish-American ethnics living in Chicago as part of a secondary data analysis of a study initially conducted in Poland. Conclusions lend support to the idea that U.S.-born elderly people and elderly immigrants to the United States have a significantly…

Social endorsement of the classical theory of disengagement which explains the social and psychological withdrawal of older people has resulted in the unhappiness of many Americans. American society must allow older persons to remain actively engaged in meaningful activities throughout their life spans. This article discusses the communication…

Describes age patterning of White and non-White suicide rates which reveal a consistent divergence: White suicide rates increase with age while non-White suicides peak in youthful years. Analyzes six explanatory hypotheses including: (1) differential life expectancy; (2) screening out of the violence prone; (3) role and status; and (4) values.…

In developing an intergenerational program bringing together preschool children and elderly adults in a retirement home/geriatric center complex, preschool staff had to discard three misconceptions. It was initially supposed that the elderly would like to visit the nursery school. It was assumed that people in the retirement home have nothing to…

Medical ethical problems involving the elderly elucidate the relation between broader social views of aging and ethical principles basic to medicine. Three clinical situations are described and alternative principles of medical ethics are discussed as a basis for resolution of ethical problems in the health care of the elderly. (Author)

The potential force for the mutual enrichment of the arts on the lives of older people was investigated by an advisory committee representing the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and The National Council on the Aging. This prospectus, a report of the committee findings, includes a review of a representative spectrum of cultural programs…

Suggests modern age stratification contributes to greater differentiation of old age and lowered status. Proposes discontinuity in the transition to old age makes time a central issue. Concludes the psychological constriction of older people results from failure to facilitate creative personal expression through the life cycle. (Author)